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2K views 30 replies 10 participants last post by  Tim! 
#1 ·
This is a recent experience I have had with the new sponsor Zoanuts. Their web site is filled with beautiful corals. I ordered these corals at these prices.

1 Tortise Shell Cynarina
Item # 326 $51.00 USD
1 Blessed Blasto Merletti
Item # 247 $34.00 USD
1 Kaleidoscope Acanthastrea
Item # 244 $35.00 USD
1 Zombie Eye Ausie Acan
Item # 104 $18.00 USD
1 Blue Tooth Acan
Item # 342 $67.00 USD
Amount $205.00 USD

I ordered these on September 7, 2007. I received them on September 12, 2007. On September 11, 2007 they were shipped. They came with an "ice pack", even though the morning of the 12th Brighton's temps were in the low 50's. I took the temp of the water, it 56-57. I floated the bags for hour, then I drip acclimated them in my system. Beacause they were all small I used epoxy to attach them to some rubble rock. I could not figure out which corals were which, expect for the " Blessed Blasto Merletti. I put in the tank and was sadden by the amount of $$ I flushed down the drain. I knew I was ordering frags, even though the invoice does not say that. I was duped into thinking a five head frag was a nice size piece. I should have known when the site doesn't post any pull out shots, just their 100 mm macro shots, with the white balance adjusted. Zoanuts choose not to give any kind of refund. This is a direct quote from my email to the owner.

"On Michigan Reefers and Reef Central, people knew I ordered from you and
want to see the pictures, frankly I am embarrassed to show them, I am not
sure of what to do."

I am not trying to be vindictive, I am embarrassed. If you feel these corals are worth it or even in the same ball park, then you found a place to buy from.

My lights are different than Zoanuts T5's the light with, but even with my 250 watt 10K MH off and just the four T5 super actinic's on, they still showed no brilliance what so ever. The blasto's are a common variety only thing different is they are much smaller! This is the link to the Merleti's I bought: http://www.zoanuts.com/index.php?page=2&cat=lps

I am bummed that was not smart; being able to pay only in paypal and full pictures should have been a clue. I made a very bad choice, but I have to live it. I understand how much vendors rely on sites to get a good reputation, but it has to go both ways. The pictures were took with my D70's last evening, it was set on auto and I will say they represent the corals very well, if anything they give them more "pop". Anyone is welcome to come over and see them. The Cynarina, is now almost dead, it was damaged in shipping, the owner, hmm it shouldn't have been. The shipping adequate, the corals were in a very small bag, then placed into the larger and packed with news paper, the an ice pack on top. There was a mistake by DHL they dropped it off at the wrong house, I called DHL and said how could that of happened? It was deliver with signature only, DHL relied that was not true, I then received the corals 1 hour and 50 minutes later. Then I did what I stated earlier. How much nicer would they have been without freezing with an icepack in 50 degree weather? Some I think, but I can't even tell what corals are what besides the Merleti's. All my parameters are good, Nitrate <2.5, Salinity 1.024, Mag 1400, Calcium 420, Alk 8.4 dKh.
Any ways here are the photographs:









http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b326/dtaylor123/Reef Photos/Zoanuts/acan-5.jpg

Dan
 
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#2 ·
ouch dan they must have seen you coming I would be very ticked off

I hope for your sake with the money you spent that they come around and survive and look good sounds from your review like they are very shady to deal with I think I will avoid them for now especialy if they are going to icepack in cool weather

I mean heck the days of the 11 and 12 the temp was below 60 both days if anything they should have put in a heat pack not ice this would be common sense
 
#4 ·
I had an issue with Zoanuts also, but I sent them a PM and they offered to replace my zoas for me immediately. I chose for them to not replace them though since I didn't want to worry about who would pay shipping costs. My frag I had received from them had about 20 - 30 polyps on it, I believe Labman and Cchase had seen them, my free frag was doing great though.

I do know another person that ordered from them was not satisfied...

my overrall experience was ok with them, I only spent $23 though, if I were you I would be upset.
 
#5 ·
Well since I was named lol

I bought three frags in the group order I think $56 bucks np so far at 11pm the night the corals were shipped I get a email I posted in the group buy msg saying one of the frags I wanted now looks like gorilla nipples and that he suibsituded it for something way nicer at 1st I though the honesty was great. but then I thought I would have like the option to choose something else myself or even a refund but it was shipped nothing I could do.. I got all the corals I was excited of course none of the corals look like they looked in the picks after receiving all corals are shot under actinics or maybe deception imo and I have shot allot of corals for selling I think ethics are important I want to see the coral in normal light and the special frag I was supposed to get 8-10 polyps of one coral and I was substituted 4 polyps of this.



I asked several times what I got because I was never sure I never got a answer . now IMO I should have been upgraded with equal amounts of polyps of what ever I was giving not 4 instead of 8-10 polyps of what ever the upgrade was
 
#6 ·
I agree the blastos do look like the common red/greens. I think after they settle in they will expand. I am deff. not impressed with the coloring on any of those. Its a shame. My order with him went well. I hope this was a one time thing, and he makes it right.
 
#7 ·
Dan, I would give them a few days. You did right by registering your complaint right away so they know there was an issue. Blastos and Lords can take a day or two to open up. The cold would worry me though. The vendor should be telling you this not me. I hope they come around, if not I am sorry to say I am glad you posted this experience because I was just about to order some Lords when you told me you ordered so I thought I would wait to see yours. I have never ordered on-line for fear of this stuff.
 
#8 ·
I did contact Dustin the owner after I acclimated the corals and placed them in my tank, it was then I realized I had been major hosed. Dustin said he was sorry and can he do to make it right, I then thought about and after looking at the frags and his site, I said a 50% refund would make it right. This is his reply:

"Dan,

I don't know what to say. As you agreed the Scoly with open to a very nice
size . As you said the temperature issue was do to the cold pack and
sitting out in the elements. You haven't given it time to do so after being
left on a door step for hrs in the elements due to DHL. The Acans are cut
to the size or bigger head count size as advertised.
Our lighting is different as stated on our site and if the want the same
coloration lighting needs to be as close to ours as possible.
We use a SLR camera with a macro lens to shoot pictures.
If you feel it is necessary to go to the boards I can't stop you. Just
remember when the corals start coloring up from the stressful situation they
went through you will have damaged our reputation.
If you choose to do so I will be factual with my information I post on the
forum also.
Please remember you got the heads + and what you ordered.
If you are looking for larger colonies or pieces then the price comes with
it. I am always able to make a fragment with more heads.
Again, I am sorry for the disappointment but no refund will be offered.
There was no loss or death due to Zoanuts.com

Dustin and Debbie


Their site is misleading, does anyone here think the Blasto's will ever look remotely close to what the site looks like? By adjust the "white balance" that can alter the photo's and of course using a 100 mm macro lens makes everything look big. I am so dumb, I should have asked for full shots with a reference like a plastic ruler. The site does not want you to see how little the frags are, they want to tell you about the "at least 5 heads". I was played a fool. You saw the invoice, I can't even figure what corals are what, can anyone here figure them out (everything but the blasto's). If I were to sell these at a frag swap, I would be lucky to get $5 for each and to be honest, everyone would pass even at $5. They could have done the right thing. They see no culpability in putting an ice pack in, to them it was a mistake, but not something they would take care of, I told them, it was going to be 84 degrees today in their city, it's that easy to know the weather any where in the world! One of the Acans looks like a washed out "orange crush" which I didn't order. I have only ordered from "extreme corals" and they were awesome! I don't understand how anyone can ship like this in good consciences, maybe they do great or OK with Zoa's, but not others. There was death, the Scoly is dead and why doesn't he think that putting a ice pack was his fault? These corals will never color up, I have doing this too long to think they will. Caveat Emptor, some's it up.

Dan
 
#10 ·
How is it always the reefers fault

just seems odd that many vendors have all kinds of excuses for why it is not there fault when a coral doesn't look good. Also find it odd that I have seen ten of thousands of dollars of wild corals of all type shipped have way around the world almost never need to color up maybe need a day or two to be happy. but a tank raised coral shipped a few states away need sometimes months to recover. :rolleyes:
 
#11 ·
The fact that DHL left the package at the wrong address for over an hour should be enough to get a total replacement or refund.

If you are not home to sign for overnight frags and the delivery is not made on the first attempt all guarantees are void.

As the carrier screwed up and delivered, without a signature, to the wrong house I feel there should be no argument.

You deserve a full refund if I have interpreted this thread correctly.
 
G
#12 ·
I would agree with mcd57 I mean come on you only asked for 50% more than fair for you to eat half the cost especialy with dead corals

not to mention they froze them in the first place another reason you should get the refund
 
#13 ·
well another thing

if the shipper being DHL screwed up zoanuts should submit a claim or allow you too file one but the fact it was packed with a freezer bag leads me to be leave it is more there fault then dhl's but if they file a claim with DHL they might reimburse all or part of the order. just because they screwed up. the attitude is what bothers me!
 
#15 ·
Btw

temp at night in Oklahoma city where zoanuts is 65 at night and 85 in the day and Michigan was 57 at night and about 65 in the day.. so shipping it at night I would have either shipped it with no pack or a heat pack! :rolleyes: but a freezer pack! :confused:
 
G
#16 ·
taylor made you may want to try and contact dhl and see if there is anything they can do since most overnight packages are insured you may be able to recoop some of your money from them even though it realy isn't their fault

and 2 hours one way or the other wouldn't cause that much of a temp drop if packed properly in the begining so in a sence the time it took for dhl to realize the screwup and fix it wouldn't have been enough to cause the problems
 
#17 ·
Dhl

tazzy695 said:
taylor made you may want to try and contact dhl and see if there is anything they can do since most overnight packages are insured you may be able to recoop some of your money from them even though it realy isn't their fault

and 2 hours one way or the other wouldn't cause that much of a temp drop if packed properly in the begining so in a sence the time it took for dhl to realize the screwup and fix it wouldn't have been enough to cause the problems
Since Dan was not the shipper DHL will not do anything until Zoanuts files a case or allows Dan to file DHL FEDEX UPS all regaurd the shipper as the contractor or client until they contact them because in there eyes Zoanuts is the one that paid for the shipping.. and I think we all agree it sounds like more of a packaging issue rather then a shipping issue
 
G
#18 ·
well I have had issues with ups as the reciever and they took care of me insurance wise without having the shipper file a complaint I just had to show proofe that it was shipped to me wich was my drivers licence for proof of adress

but I dont know what dhl's policys are on this but it might be worth a try to call them anyway
 
#19 ·
McD57 said:
The fact that DHL left the package at the wrong address for over an hour should be enough to get a total replacement or refund.

If you are not home to sign for overnight frags and the delivery is not made on the first attempt all guarantees are void.

As the carrier screwed up and delivered, without a signature, to the wrong house I feel there should be no argument.

You deserve a full refund if I have interpreted this thread correctly.
Because I was anticipating the coral delivery (it was supposed to ship on Monday, but Dustins wife was sick and asked if it was OK to ship on Tuesday for a Wednesday delivery, I said OK and rearranged plans so I would be home on Wednesday) I check the tracking # and at 9:53 AM it said the package was delivered at the front door. I looked and saw no package, I called DHL, I asked how could that have happened, it was signature only (Dustin, told me that all their shipments are signature only and their web site says that too), DHL said, nope it was not signature only. Then I called Dustin, he said no way, it's signature only and he said he would take care of it. So DHL calls me back and said their driver made a mistake and it will be delivered within and hour. It was delivered like at 11:53 AM, I call Dustin back and he said, oh I was still working on it, I told I took care of it! Then Dustin said, shipping this time of year is weird, he said "it's still in the 90's in Mississippi", I thought who cares about Mississippi, this is Michigan, ugh. Even when DHL did show up (I had Fedex in my driveway delivering salt, it kinda humorous!) they still did not ask for a signature. So who is at fault here? I have to say, even if these corals were packed properly, they still would not be any thing like the site depicted. Maybe their Zoa's are good, but they kind of shafted Labman on those too. Who do I ask a claim for? Maybe Dustin already did? Naw, I think he needs my signature.
 
#20 ·
tazzy695 said:
well I have had issues with ups as the reciever and they took care of me insurance wise without having the shipper file a complaint I just had to show proofe that it was shipped to me wich was my drivers licence for proof of adress

but I dont know what dhl's policys are on this but it might be worth a try to call them anyway
Thanks I will call them. Dustin said he would respond, I wonder why no responce? Everything I have said has been fact. I like small business's to make it, I really do. But you do it by making things right and do it right the 1st time. You can make some $$ on a one time sale, but if you get no repeat business, then you have issues.
 
G
#21 ·
I agree let us know what dhl says about the situation I am curious to hear how their costomer service is

says somthing that it only took them 2 hours to fix their mistake I have had a lot longer delays than this for similar mistakes with other shippers usps for exampel days instead of hours
 
#22 ·
Well I won't be ordering from them. Funny how a LFS will order something for me offer to hold it until things are right. I get to see it and if I don't like they say OK. This just tells me I was right to not order corals from the internet. They almost had my some of my money those Acan look good and I would like to try them. To me, the ice pack is a problem and probably more responsible for the temp then anything else. two hours should not have made a difference. I do think that a claim to them about two hours outside could cause a problem but I bet they won't do anything. their trucks and warehouse are probably not heat yet either.

The fault lies with the packer. If the water was 50 degrees then it was not packed right. Like Lab says how come corals come from half way around the world with no problem? A lesson for us all sorry you had to pay for it dan. Did you pay by credit card? I am assumming you did. You can submit a claim through them. They usually side with the card holder. Plus they take the money back right away and credit you.I would write them aletter first thing tomorrow. You only have 30 days to file a claim. Good luck.
 
#23 ·
Thanks Slapshot and you are right about using our local fish stores (there I actually said, not LFS!), Wayne from Choice left me a nice PM, and there was no trace of "you should have went local", his PM was kind and offered support. The fact is, if I would have spent $250 at Choice or TFG or Trop ... well you get the point, I would have 3 or more beautiful corals in my tank. I know there are good Internet coral stores, but in the metro area, we have so many good fish stores, no need to be surprised when the package comes. Now if I lived way out in Idaho, then the Internet is great, not for me any more though.

Dan
 
#24 ·
Hello to all,
I apologize for the slow response. Our server had been down most of the day.
Obviously as many of you have read Mr. Taylor and I had a less than perfect transaction.
I will not and do not make excuses for what happened. It was a train wreck for both parties.
Whether it be my putting and Ice pack in the box and not checking the weather in MI, DHL issues, dissatisfaction with frag size, Common Blasto or any other issue none is the clients fault.
I won't use any excuse for the size of the per head Australian Ultra/Grade A acan. It isn't the clients fault.
I won't use any excuse for the difference in lighting and photographic skills and quality of the pictures it isn't the clients fault.
Zoanuts takes full responsibility for the client not being satisfied with the purchase.
We continue to listen and learn from our experiences. We thank you Dan for truly stating how you feel and would entertain the opportunity to make it right with you. Please feel free to contact us via email.
I truly wish I could give you satisfaction about you transaction.

Regards,

Dustin and Debbie Combs Zoanuts
 
#26 ·
Did you ask for a shot of the frags you would be getting? If you paid for 5 heads and got 5 heads, it is hard to get too upset over that. Now the shipping and ice pack issue is a whole other topic. If you have the same DHL delivery guy as I do (we are in the same area), the guy is an idiot and always screws up.

Sorry this was such a terrible transaction for you!
 
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